Back-transport device for set-pin carriage at ten key adding or calculating machines



3, 1966 R. MUNK ETAL 3, 9,298

BACK-TRANSPORT DEVICE FOR SET-PIN CARRRIAGE AT TEN KEY ADDING OR CALCULATING MACHINES Filed May 4, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VE N TORS May 3, 1966 R. MUNK ETAL 3,249,298

BACK-TRANSPORT DEVICE FOR SET-PIN CARRRIAGE AT TEN KEY ADDING OR CALCULATING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 4, 1964 /N VENTORS yaw/M y 3, 1966 R. MUNK ETAL 3,249,298

BACKTRANSPORT DEVICE FOR SET-PIN CARRRIAGE AT TEN KEY ADDING OR CALCULATING MACHINES Filed May 4, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 10 Claims. (51. 235-60) This invention relates to calculating machinery, particularly the ten-key type and more particularly still to mechanism for returning of the pin carriage in a machine of this nature to its starting position.

Ten-key adding machines have pin carriages which shift step by step as digits are fed into the machine, and the carriage then returns to its starting position automatically at the termination of the calculating operation of the machine which is carried out by effecting a single revolution of a main shaft of the machine.

With devices of this nature, it is only in rare instances that the pin carriage is shifted to its ultimate limit during the feeding of digits into the machine, and it is only in these instances that a full stroke of the carriage return mechanism is required; In prior art machines, however, the return mechanism for the pin carriage is constructed to effect this full stroke on every machine cycle so that if only a few digits have been set on the carriage, the carriage, in effecting a return movement, must first run through an idle path representing the full number of digits that can be put into the machine minus the number of digits that have been set into the machine and then a full stroke return movement of the carriage is effected. The result of this arranegemnt is a development of considerable inertia forces within the machine and shock and vibration which subjects the machine to considerable wear and is accompanied by considerable noise. In prior art, this problem has been dealt with by slowing down the return movement of the pin carriage, but this, of course, is a disadvantage because it slows down the entire operation of the machine.

With the foregoing in mind, the present invention purposes to overcome the drawbacks referred to above by providing for return movement of the carriage substantially equal to the movement thereof during the feeding of digits into the machine so that idle motion of the carriage is avoided.

Another object of this invention is the elimination of the shock and noise in the operation of calculating machines by controlling the operation of the pin carriage as described above.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an arrangement for reducing idle travel of the pin carriage of a calculating machine thereby to eliminate wear and noise and to promote efficient operation of the machine.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of an arrangement in a calculating machine for resetting the pin carriage so that'the pin carriage is always reset to its starting position in the same interval of time and with the velocity of the pin carriage thus corresponding tothe number of digits that were set thereon so that the minimum amount of work is always done in returning the nited States Patent ICC ' with the mechanism in the act of resetting the pin carriage;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view looking down on top of the FIGURE 1 structure and showing other details in connection with the machine, and

FIGURE 3 is a section similar to FIGURE 1 showing the resetting mechanism for the pin carriage as it is I shaft 3 on a resetting or actuating lever 4 which is pivotally mounted on stationary shaft 5' which, together with others part of the machine, are mounted in the machine frame consisting of side walls 6 and 7 and bottom wall 8.

A tension spring 9 is connected between lever 4 and base 8 and biases lever 4 in a counterclockwise direction. Lever 4 comprises an upstanding arm portion 10 which is arcuately formed and which has recesses 11 formed therein for selective engagement with a pin 12 on the end of a selector lever or link or selector bar 13.

Bar 13 is pivotally supported by pin 15 fixed to a control lever 14 so that bar 13 may pivot in a vertical plane. Spring 16 connected between base plate 8 and point 17 on bar 13 biases bar 13 in a clockwise direction about its pivot 15. In the basic position of the machine, pin 12 will rest on surface 18 of resetting lever 4 which is the position corresponding to the pin carriage when no digits have been fed thereto.

Lever 14 is pivotally supported on shaft 19 which is stationarily mounted in the machine and cooperating with shaft 19 is a projecting portion 20 of bar 13. As will be seen hereinafter, portion 20 will engage shaft 19 thus forming a stop for bar 13 to adjust this bar relative to recesses 11 in return lever 4.

The upper end of lever 14 carries a pin 21 engaging a slot 22 in a shiftable link 23. Link 23 is tiltable on pin 21 and is under the control of a spirng 25 which biases link 23 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2. Link 23 has a surface 24 that engages a roller 27 that is mounted on a stationary support bracket 26.

Link 23 has a hook-shaped portion 28 at the extreme end having a cam-shaped nose 28 for cooperation with a roller or pin 31 fixed to a lever 30 that is pivoted at 29 to stationary plate 26. Lever 30'has an arm 32 pivotally connected by pin 33 with a connecting arm or'plat'e 34 which, in turn, is pivotally connected by pin 36 with set pin carriage 39 which is shiftable along stationary axles 37 and 38. I

Lever 30 is biased in a counterclockwise direction about its pivotal support by spring 41 having one end stationarily anchored and having its other end connected at 40 to the said lever. I

Associated with the pin carriage is a selector pawl 42 which, per se, forms no part of this invention but which is illustrated to indicate the pin carriage 39 is adjusted in the direction of arrow 42' by operation of pawl 42 and in cooperation with the stop elements 45 carried by the pin carriage.

In operation,, the pin carriage is shifted under the action of the keys of the calculator and moves in the direction of arrow 42 with each digit fed into the machine. As the pin carriage moves, lever 30' will be tilted in a Patented May 3, 1966 counterclockwise direction, and this will displace roller or pin 31 toward the left as it is viewed in FIGURE 2.

During a resetting operation, the amount of movement of link 23 is determined by stop surface 43 of the lever which engages pin 31. The link 23 has cam surface 44 which engages roller-27 so that the hook-like end 28 of the link 23 will engage over pin 31 and so that this pin will engage stop surface 43. During movement of the link 23, lever 14 will also move and will move into position occupied in FIGURE 3, for example, fora predetermined number of digits fed into the machine.

Returning now to FIGURE 3, tilting movement of lever 14 is accompanied by tilting movement of selector bar 13 because portion 20 thereof engages shaft 19 to place pin 12 in substantial registration with the one of recesses '11 corresponding to the number of digits fed into the pin carriage.

After the machine has been setup and the values have been transferred in the machine, which is an operation known in connection with calculating machines, shaft 1 rotates and this will cause tilting movement of return lever 4. When lever 4 tilts, link 23 will engage pin 31, lever 14 and selector bar 13 will tilt and the pertaining recess 11 on portion 10 of lever 4 will engage pin 12 of selector bar 13 and will move this bar rightwardly, which will cause clockwise movement of lever 14 as viewed in FIGURE 2. Clockwise movement of lever 14 will cause rightward movement of link 23, which will operate through lever 30 and plate or bar 34 to reset the pin carriage.

When this is accomplished, link'23 will, because of its surface 24, become disengaged from pin 31 whereupon the pin carriage will come to rest against the stop pawl 42.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the amount of motion imparted to the pin carriage during the resetting operation is adjusted to correspond to the amount of movement of the pin carriage during the setting of digits into the machine so that there is no lost motion during the resetting of the pin carriage, whereby the pin carriage can be reset in the minimum time and always at the minimum velocity and without shock or noise of the machine. The reduced travel of the pin carriage and the reduction in vibration and velocity of movement of the pin carriage not only reduces noise during the operation of the machine, but also reduces wear so that the machine becomes more efiicient and is possessed of longer life.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions; and accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A device for effecting the return of the pin carriage of a ten key calculator machine having a shaft rotatable through a single revolution in carrying out a machine cycle including the resetting of the pin carriage to its starting position; an element operatively connected to said pin carriage and moveable thereby in a predetermined direction from a starting position into a plurality of shifted positions in conformity with the shifted position of the carriage as determined by the input of digits into the machine, a cam on said shaft, an actuating lever pivoted in the machine having means continuously engaging said cam, said cam during one revolution of said shaft tilting said actuator lever from a starting position through a smaller angle in one direction and then through a larger angle in the opposite direction and then back to its starting position, adjustable stroke drive link means extending from said actuating lever to said element operable to impart resetting motion to said carriage during movement of said actuating lever through said larger angle an amount determined by the adjustment of said drive link means, and means cooperating with said element and operable during movement of said actuating lever through said smaller angle to adjust said drive link means in conformity with the shifted position of said ele ment in saidpredetermined direction so that the resetting movement of the carriage during tilting of said actuating lever through said larger angle is equal to the shifting movement of said carriage during the input of digits into the machine.

2. A device for effecting the return of the pin carriage of a ten' key calculator machine having a shaft rotatable through a single revolution in carrying out a machine cycle including the resetting of the pin carriage to its starting position; an element operatively connected to said pin carriage and moveable thereby in a predetermined direction from a starting position into a plurality of shifted positions in conformity with the shifted position of the carriage as determined by the input of digits into the machine, a cam on said shaft, an actuating lever pivoted in the machine having means continuously engaging said cam, said cam during one revolution of said shaft tilt. ing said actuator lever from a starting position through a smaller angle in one direction and then through a larger angle in the opposite direction and then back to its starting position, a control lever pivoted in the machine, an adjustable stroke drive connection from said actuating lever to said control lever operable to cause said control lever to tilt in one direction when said actuating lever tilts through said smaller angle and in the opposite direction when said actuating lever tilts through said larger angle, link means connected to said control lever adapted to engage said element and move said carriage in resetting direction during tilting of said control lever in said opposite direction, and means cooperating with said element operable for adjusting said drive connection in conformity with the shifted position of said element in said predetermined direction during the movement of said control lever in said one direction so as to vary the amount of tilting movement of said control lever in said other direction by said actuating lever when the actuating lever tilts through said larger angle in direct proportion to the amount of shifting movement of the carriage during the input of digits into the machine.

3. A device for effecting the return of the pin carriage of a ten key calculator machine having a shaft rotatable through a single revolution in carrying out a machine cycle including the resetting of the pin carriage to its starting position; an element operatively connected to said pin carriage and moveable thereby in a predetermined direction from a starting position into a plurality of shifted positions in conformity with the shifted position of the carriage as determined by the input of digits into the machine, a cam on said shaft, an actuating lever pivoted in the machine having means continuously engaging-said cam, said cam during one revolution of said shaft tilting said actuator lever from a starting position through a smaller angle in one direction and then through a larger angle in the opposite direction and then back to its starting position, a control lever pivoted in the machine, said actuating lever having an arcuate arm position, a link pivoted to said control lever and having a pin thereon in the path of said arcuatearm portion, said control lever having link means connected thereto and moveable in said predetermined direction into engagement with said element in response to the tilting of said control lever in said one direction, means operable during tilting of said actuating lever through said smaller angle and in conformity with amount of movement of said link means required to effect engagement thereof with said element for shifting said link to adjust the position of said pin along said arcuate arm portion whereby the amount of resetting movement imparted to said carriage during tilting of said actuating lever through said larger angle will be equal to the shifting movement of the carriage during the input of digits into the machine.

4. In combination in a ten key calculator having a frame and shiftable pin carriage therein; means for resetting said carriage comprising a control lever pivotally supported in said frame, linkage connected at one end to said control lever and having its other end adapted for operative engagement with said carriage, biasing means biasing said linkage means toward operative engagement with said carriage, means normally holding said linkage means against the force of said biasing means and holding the other end of said linkage means out of operative engagement with said carriage, means operable upon initiation of a cycle of the calculator following the feeding of digits into the calculator for releasing said linkage means to the influence of said biasing means to cause the said other end of said linkage means to move into operative engagement with said carriage and thereby to cause said control lever to tilt in conformity with the amount that the carriage shifts during the feeding of digits into the machine upon initiation of a machine cycle, a selector lever pivotally connected to said control lever and having a free end, cooperating elements of abutment means pertaining to said selector and control levers so that during tilting movement of said control lever in conformity with the shifted position of said pin carriage said selecteor lever will tilt therewith, a pin on the free end of said selector lever, an actuating lever pivoted in the machine and having an arcuate arm extending substantially parallel to the path of movement of said pin when said selector lever tilts with said control lever, said machine comprising a shaft rotatable through a single revolution during a machine cycle, and a cam on the shaft engaging said actuating lever for actuating the actuating lever to cause said actuatinglever to engage said pin means and actuate said selector and control levers thereby to impart resetting movement to the carriage through said selector lever and said control lever in an amount equal to the shifting of the carriage during the feeding of digits into the machine.

5. The combination according to claim 4 in which said arcuate arm is provided with notches engageable by said pin.

6. The combination according to claim 5 in which said notches are spaced along said arcuate arm in conformity with the successive positions occupied by said pin when said selector and control levers are tilted in conformity with the position into which said carriage is shifted during the feeding of. digits thereto.

7. The combination according to claim 4 in which said means operatively connecting said control lever with said carriage comprises a link connected at one end to said control lever and having means at the other end operatively to engage said carriage, and means for disengaging 6 said other end of said link from said pin carriage following a resetting operation.

8. The combination according to claim 4 in which the said means operatively connecting said control lever with said carriage includes a link having one end connected to said control lever and having a hook at the other end, said hook being operatively engageable with and disengage able from said pin carriage, and means operable in response to movement of said link by said control lever at the initiation of a cycle of the calculator for effecting operative engagement of the hook with said pin carriage, and also operative at the termination of a cycle of the calculator for effecting operative disengagement of the hook from said pin carriage.

9. The combination according to claim 8 in which a lever arm is provided pivotally supported in said frame and operatively connected to said pin carriage and is tiltable in response to shifting movement of said pin carriage, said lever arm having pin means thereon in the path of said hook, said hook being engageable with said pin means and said link being thereby stopped during the initial part of a cycle of said machine, movement of said hook into engagement with said pin means being operable for actuating said control lever and said selector lever thereby to adjust the pin on the end of said selector lever along said arcuate arm of said actuating lever to a position corresponding to the shifted position of said pin carriage, whereby during a resetting operation said actuating lever actuates said control lever and said selector lever to move said link and operate said lever arm to reset the pin carriage a distance equal to the shifting movement thereof during the feeding of digits into the calculator.

10. A combination according to claim 9 in which cooperating elements of a cam and follower means are provided on said frame and said link operable to move said link laterally to cause said hook to disengage from the pin means on said lever arm at the end of a cycle of said calculator.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,303,692 12/ 1942 Hellgren 23 5-60 2,823,854 2/ 1958 Walther 235- FOREIGN PATENTS 553,918 1/ 1957 Italy.

LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner.

T. J. ANDERSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR EFFECTING THE RETURN OF THE PIN CARRIAGE OF A TEN KEY CALCULATOR MACHINE HAVING A SHAFT ROTATABLE THROUGH A SINGLE REVOLUTION IN CARRYING OUT A MACHINE CYCLE INCLUDING THE RESETTING OF THE PIN CARRIAGE TO ITS STARTING POSITION; AN ELEMENT OERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID PIN CARRIAGE AND MOVEABLE THEREBY IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION FROM A STARTING POSITION INTO A PLURALITY OF SHIFTED POSITIONS IN CONFORMITY WITH THE SHIFTED POSITION OF THE CARRIAGE AS DETERMINED BY THE INPUT OD DIGITS INTO THE MACHINE, A CAM ON SAID SHAFT, AND ACTUATING LEVER PIVOTED IN THE MACHINE HAVING MEANS CONTINUOUSLY ENGAGING SAID CAM, SAID CAM DURING ONE REVOLUTION OF SAID SHAFT TILTING SIAD ACTUATOR LEVER FROM A STARTING POSITION THROUGH A SMALLER ANGLE IN ONE DIRECTION AND THEN THROUGH A LARGER ANGLE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND THEN BACK TO ITS STARTING POSITION, ADJUSTABLE STROKE DRIVE LINK MEANS EXENDING FROM SAID ACTUATING LEVER TO SAID ELEMENT OPER- 